Daggers drawn: Kenya in quest to retain Africa title this afternoon

By JONATHAN KOMEN IN KAMPALA

Finally, the long awaited moment   has come. After verbal jousting, the planets in the athletics universe have aligned this afternoon and the stars are set to collide in the most spectacular fashion imaginable.

At the Kololo ceremonial grounds, on the sidelines of Kampala, two pedigree practitioners with the finest athletics shows in the world — Kenya and Ethiopia — will do impossibly brilliant battle with each other under the enchanted gaze of thousands present in Kampala here.

The Confederation of Africa cross country Championships — in which Kenya makes its third stab without signs of fatigue — promises a cocktail of hopes and intrigue, as it always does.

Dreams will come true; others will turn into nightmares. About 350 runners from 25 countries will be battling for honour, victory and, of course, losses.

A blunder from the start or getting tripped mid-way could make the difference between victory and loss –the difference of a lifetime.

Focus today will be on Kenya and Ethiopia, who are far and away the most successful countries in the world championships’ history, having won 120 of the 159 available team titles in World Cross-Country.

The two nations have met 121 times where both have fielded full teams, with Kenya beating Ethiopia 78-42.

The national press here reported how Kenya and Ethiopia poses threat to hosts Uganda even as the cold and rainy weather conditions here conditions appear to complicate winning tactics.

Breathing fire

But Kenya’s team coach Omanyala Cornel was yesterday breathing fire. “Our all-weather athletes are up to the task. They are in high spirits and in promising mood. The course here is soft and flat with only two obstacles. Uganda can have a strong team but will take then head on,” Omanyala said yesterday after a light training session at the Kololo course here.

Sayekwo Kibet, who stunned Kenyans at the KCB/AK cross-country series in Eldoret last year, will lead his 12km charges alongside double Commonwealth Games champion Moses Kipsiro and national half marathon champion Daniel Rotich.

Kipsiro, who trains at the Pace Sports Management in Kaptagat, has a leg up against Kenyan opponents as he closely monitors the training regimen. Philemon Rono, who finished 36th at the 2013 world cross-country in Poland, however differs: “We are ready for them. It only depends on how we study them.”

Ethiopia’s Mesfin Hanengaw, fourth at the  2008 World 10,000m junior championships in Poland, will raise the adrenaline action in the 12km race.

World cross-country junior champion Faith Chepng’etich needs to be at her best to stop Ugandan homegirls Nancy Cheptegei and Juliet Chekwel, who aided their team to third spot at the Africa cross-country showpiece in South Africa.

Ethiopia’s Ababel Eyeshanesh, the 2011 Stranomilano half marathon winner, is itching for glory.

Kenya will be seeking to retain the three titles –senior (men and women) and junior women –and also reclaim the junior team title lost to Ethiopia.

Moses Mukono, a member of the 2013 world cross-country team, said they will stop any aggression.—jkomen@standardmedia.co.ke